Metal fence erected
- between M3 site and protesters
By - Tim O'Brien.
A METAL palisade fence has been erected between the
construction site of the M3, close to the Rath Lugh
national monument in Co. Meath, and a camp in which
protesters and conservationists are based.
The fence was completed by road-building contractor
Eurolink yesterday in an attempt to keep the protesters
from digging new tunnels - similar to one which had been
occupied for 60 hours by protester Lisa Feeney - in the
path of the motorway.
A Garda presence is being maintained over the weekend to
ensure that the fence is not damaged before concrete in
which it has been placed has set. The Garda said that
three people who were arrested for trespass on Thursday
had not been charged.
Speaking to The Irish Times , Ms. Feeney insisted that
she had been "tricked" into leaving her tunnel by the
National Roads Authority (NRA), as she had made no
undertakings about the behaviour of other protesters. She
said that a 10-point agreement she had reached with the
authority made no mention of a fence and was dependent
only on her leaving the tunnel, which she had done.
Ms. Feeney said she now accepted that a digging machine
had been daubed with excrement by protesters whose
identities she did not know. She said that the daubing
had prevented the machine from working on the Rath Lugh
esker. Protesters claim that the esker, a glacial ridge,
is an integral part of the 2,000-year-old fort.
Construction work on the controversial section of the
road continued yesterday, with the north and southbound
sections being excavated to foundation level. Crushed
stone is to be poured into this foundation in the coming
days to allow haulage past Rath Lugh.
The NRA said that Dr. Eric Farrell, of Trinity College
Dublin, had visited the site and had confirmed that works
were being carried out in accordance with good
practice.
© The Irish Times, 22nd. March 2008.
Related Articles:
Life
inside the protest camp.
NRA restarts work claiming M3 protesters broke
truce.
Commencement
Rath Lugh Works. Statement, NRA.
Squeak calls off her Tara protest.
